ORDER HYMENOPTERA. 23 



they use every endeavour to turn the grasshopper on its back. 

 When they succeed in this they inflict stings in different parts of 

 the underside of the abdomen and thorax, which soon paralyse 

 the victim, which is then dragged to the nest of the ruthless 

 destroyer. 



Sphex flavipetinis is a common species in the south of Europe. 



Family 11, PoinpilidcB. — Most of the species of Poinpilus 

 burrow in sand or sandy soil, and store their nests with spiders 

 and the larvce. of insects. 



One of our commonest species, Pompihis fusciis^ is usually about 

 half an inch long, and is black, with the first three segments of 

 the abdomen red banded with black. This insect makes its 

 appearance in the spring, and may be observed in sandy places 

 throughout the summer. Another common British species is 

 Fompilits pimctiivi, which is black in colour. 



Family 12, Bombicidce. — This small family is not represented in 



Fig. 22. — Sapyj'a Clavicornis. 



Britain, though found in southern Europe. Many of the insects 

 burrow in the sand, scratching a hole with their forefeet like a 

 dog, as observed by Sir S. Saunders in the Ionian Islands. In 

 the daytime they may be seen flying rapidly from flower to flower, 

 and many of them exhale an odour of roses. 



Family 13, SapygidcB. — This is a small family containing only 

 a single genus, with very {q\\ species. 



The species of Sapyga occur in Europe and North America. 

 They are supposed to be parasitic in the nests of bees, but the 

 females of the common European species {Sapyga pacca) have 

 been observed carrying small caterpillars, from which Mr. Smith 

 (the great authority on Hymenoptera) justly infers that they are 

 parasitic only to the extent of usurpmg the burrows made in 

 sandbanks and dead wood by more industrious msects, their o\sti 

 structure not adapting them for the labour of diggmg. 



Fa?nily 14, Scoltidcr. — Although this familvis abundant in warm 



